All I Want for Christmas
by Kitsune-fa-Toren
Summary: Hermione realises some things and has to tell Ron over Christmas - unnecessary fluff abounds. RHr. Inspired by that song in 'Love Actually'- please R&R. SUMMARY HAS CHANGED - Chapter 3 delayed but on its merry way!
1. Chapter 1 Realisation

This is the first fic I've posted in a long time. I write a lot but it generally sucks so I never post. I know this is out of season, but I only recently saw Love Actually, so I'm a latecomer on the bandwagon of Christmassy fluff inspired by that movie. Anyway I've been listening to that Mariah Carey song nonstop, and this is what I got. Almost nonexistent plot, but I like it. So here goes:

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"All I want for Christmas is yoooouuuuu, baby!" Hermione sang loudly and off-key to her mother's Mariah Carey CD as her favorite Christmas song ended. She leaned over impatiently and punched the repeat button. One thing she missed at Hogwarts was her music, she had a huge CD collection that she treasured, but her portable CD player wouldn't work at Hogwarts, what with all the magic in the air. As of yet, she hadn't found a way to play them with magic - not too many wizards were interested in Muggle music. Music was a weakness for Hermione, she could lose herself in even the worst 80's dance hit (and her Dad owned a lot of them) and just hearing a favorite song made her forget her usual composed appearance in the moment and just sing badly. It was the only thing that really made her lose her guard.  
  
As the song started again, she stood back to survey her afternoon's work - wrapping gifts. So far she had taken care of presents for her parents (His and Hers scarves), Harry (a book about famous Seeker diversions and their inventors), Ginny (a set of classic Muggle literature, which she found very strange and interesting), Lupin (a box of Honeydukes chocolate), Mr. and Mrs. Weasley (homemade sugar-free fudge) and the twins (a Muggle chemistry set - she had tried to ignore the nagging voice in her head that knew she would become the indirect cause of a good many explosions, knowing they would appreciate it).  
  
The only one left was Ron, and there was just a week and a half left until Christmas. Sighing, she once again opened the tattered_ Prophet_ advert for Students Surplus, a store in Diagon Alley that sold all kinds of Wizarding junk, and flopped down on the flowered bedspread of her mother and father's room, where the wrapping paper was kept. On the advert gleamed a gold pin - a lion's head, with a flaming orange mane, apparently made from one elaborately cut gem. The jewel sparkled as it was moved by an invisible hand in the picture, different facets catching beams of light and reflecting them back as dancing drops of fire. That was what she wanted to give him - a Gryffindor lion, showing that she thought him just as brave as Harry, and knew he was not the simple sidekick so much of the school thought he was.   
  
The trouble with giving him this was plain, though. What would he think? It was awfully expensive - he might even take it as charity. Or maybe he or Harry would read too much into it, thinking it was a sort of, I don't know, _romantic_ gift? This was crazy of course. That was reading far too much into it. Like saying "Oh, she got it to prove to him that he's very brave, so he'll stop looking so heartbreakingly sad sometimes, and she'll stop being so worried and concerned about him all the time." Which was absolutely true. Duh.  
  
"Ohgodohgodohgod." The realisation hit her like a thunderbolt, and now she was almost hyperventilating. That was absolutely crazy. But why then did it ring truer than all the other explanations she had thought up for her urge to get this gift? There had been a nagging uneasiness about Ron in the back of her head for months now, but she had used her extraordinary mind power to force it away, leaving it to fester in the small unused portion of her brain where she kept things like Lavender's gossip and Fred' and Georges' jokes. But now it was out. She _liked_ him. Maybe a lot. Oh no. How was she going to face him now, with this huge weight on her mind? Wait. How did he feel about her?  
  
Her train of thought unexpectedly took her back two years ago now, to the Yule Ball in 4th year. That was when the suspicion had _really_ started, it had just gotten larger recently. "Next time ask me before someone else does, and not a last resort!" She blushed at the memory. That had probably given it away to anyone with half a brain. But Ron hadn't seemed to get it. He had been really angry with her around then, mostly about Viktor - oh, he and Viktor! The way he acted. She remembered being touched at his worry that he would use her to get to Harry (although of course she hadn't let it show) and realised with another blush that he had probably been lying. Then he was... jealous? Of Viktor? Because of _her_?   
  
She had, she realised darkly, known this deep down for a while. She mentally cursed her subconscious - how dare it let all this go on without telling her? But now, she realised, she had her gift. She would go to pick it up today, and send it to Ron, with a letter, and hopefully seen him sooner than she'd expected.  
  
As she bent over parchment, quill scratching excitedly, she grinned at the tail end of the song again, humming happily under her breath.  
  
"All I want for Christmas is you!"   
  
_Dear Ron, and Harry too,  
  
Would you mind if I came by on Christmas Eve, maybe stayed the night? I don't want to intrude, and it'll probably disappoint Mum and Dad, but I really want to see you, since we've spent the last few Christmases together. I hope it won't be a problem, owl me back with an answer as soon as possible! Oh, and Ron - I might have something kind of important to tell you.  
  
Much love from Hermione_

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Please give me some constructive criticism - it's so rare for me to put anything out there that this'll probably be your only chance.

Thanks for reading! xxx Kitsune


	2. Chapter 2 Planning

This chapter was actually finished last night, but I couldn't use QuickEdit on that computer for some reason, so now I'm on the other one. It's sort of cheesy, but I just wrote what I felt like. Next chapter is where she actually goes. I'm glad you guys convinced me not to make this a one-shot, I've been needing another story in my life .

Aaannnd.... Reviews!!!! You guys are the best! The other long story I posted in here got no reviews, until I said I'd quit unless I got some! Okay, individual thanks time:  
  
TheSweetestThing: Okay, okay! You didn't have to grovel - I'm a total softie. I love your username - that's a really funny movie. I'm glad you liked it.

Polaris09: Lol, that's what I did! Seriously, I had just played a game when I read your review! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Pyrafirechick: Yeah, I decided to continue - for one thing, it felt unfinished, and also because 3 of you told me too! Thanks!  
  
eat paper: I love your name!!! Yes, Ron and Hermione are just about perfect for each other, aren't they?  
  
mikigurl: Yeah, I know it probably wouldn't be Hermione's first choice, but as I said, I saw Love Actually recently and I wrote this listening to that song - I always try to incorporate song lyrics if they really influenced the story. Thanks for reviewing!

* * *

Hermione's hands shook a bit despite herself as she opened Ron's reply. It had arrived in just an hour, and had been waiting for her upon her return from Diagon Alley.  
  
_Hermione,_ it read,  
  
_Of course you can come! My Mum was really happy, naturally. And it's not an intrusion at all, we've got space since the twins are out, and Percy's staying in his flat with Penelope (wait'll you hear my Mum go on about that - not married and all! She's convinced herself there's a secret engagement. Mothers.).  
_  
_Anyway, I was really glad to get your letter. I'd been sort of down about you not being here anyway._ (Here she positively glowed.)_ And Harry too, of course.  
  
Can't wait for this news. Harry keeps looking all-knowing and smirking when I mention it - are you two keeping secrets from me?_ (She flushed - of course Harry _would_ know!) 

_Ginny's excited too - she sends her love (even though she'll see you soon enough).  
  
Can't wait!   
  
Ron_  
  
She grinned happily and hummed a bit more - something she'd been doing for the past hour almost nonstop (as her Mum had commented irritably). She leaned over her bed and grabbed the bag from Diagon Alley, unwrapping the small package with the ease of someone who'd already done this 10 times on the Underground (which made sense, since she had).  
  
Inside was the beautiful pin, still shining brightly as ever. A small flicker of doubt crossed her mind - would he think it was too girly? It sort of was, but only because of the jewel. The lion certainly wasn't, it had an expression on its etched gold face of self-righteous pride - just the type a man would make.   
  
Now she faltered a bit. How would she tell him? "Er, Ron, there's something I've been meaning to tell you, and er, by the way, here's this pin, too, and er, I might sort of love you." No way. "Um, Ron, you know we've been friends for a while and you've always been really great and I know we argue a lot but, I think I like you." Yeah, she should mention the arguing. Make it sort of funny. So he can't be too freaked out. Maybe an insult inside of the confession - like she would tell him most things. "Ron, I know you're a lousy student and really disorganized and not as good as Quid-" No. Not about Quidditch. That would actually be mean. And she couldn't do that to him. "Ron, I know you're a lousy student and you always get in trouble and, er, push my buttons but somehow I've fallen in love with you, and, er, that's that." She sort of liked this. It wasn't a lie, like the others. Because like wasn't strong enough to describe this. And a 'sort of' in front would diminish the importance. It had to be that she was 'in love' with him, because he could misunderstand her just saying 'I love you.' Because they were best friends - of course they 'loved' each other. Oh damn! Now she was thinking too much.   
  
The last one though. She liked it. Although hopefully she wouldn't say 'er' so much in person. Oh, who was she kidding? She'd probably set a new record - most stammering in a single sentence. But she really found she didn't care. Now she surveyed her open trunk - the gold stamp of her initials faded and beginning to peel as she approached the end of her 6th year. She began rummaging through her wardrobe for clothes, humming still and feeling about as happy as she could ever remember being.  
  
20 minutes later every outfit she owned was spread out across her bed, dressing table and floor, and she was almost pulling her hair out. Nothing seemed appropriate for this moment. She mentally wished she'd paid more attention to Muggle styles while at Hogwarts - all of her clothes were hopelessly out of date. All of her sweaters, were, well, sweaters. Nothing to write home about. All she knew was that she'd probably wear Muggle jeans, and her favorite pair was already in the trunk. Now she surveyed her long sleeve tops. Pretty dismal. The nicest was one her mother had made her buy for church - 3 years ago. She had a feeling it'd be more than a little small now. By forcing herself to calm down she finally narrowed it down to 2, a brown loose one that her mother had said more than once brought out her eyes nicely, and a green narrow one that made her look skinnier.   
  
After trying both shirts on nearly 20 times, she decided on the brown, after she realised that you could almost count her ribs through the green one, and she'd never found that Kate Moss-anorexic look very attractive. She battled with herself quite a bit before deciding against straightening her hair. Ron always saw it curly. She would put it up though, and use normal Muggle product to make it a bit less bushy and enormous.   
  
Now how would she get him alone at the Burrow? She knew Harry would definitely vacate the room if she asked, but had a sneaking suspicion that he and Ginny would return two seconds later to listen at the keyhole. Maybe when everyone was opening gifts - the process was fairly loud at the Weasley's, she might just be able to lean over and whisper it to him. But what if he wanted to kiss her? She couldn't kiss him in front of his _parents_! Not too mention Fred and George. They weren't staying overnight but Ginny had mentioned in a letter that they planned to stop by on Christmas morning, and it would be just the twins' fashion to show up just in time to see that! All right, she decided firmly, a bit shaken just by the idea of that disaster. Not on that morning. Maybe Christmas Eve though.  
  
The twins wouldn't be there yet, and if Ginny and Harry got into a conversation about flying it would be easy to look bored and get Ron to take a walk with her. At least she hoped it would be. But she thought it would. Especially if she mentioned Viktor, got into an argument with him about that, and then just sort of led him away. Ron got so caught up in their fights that she could probably lead him to a chimaera with him none the wiser. So yes - that was the plan!  
  
With 40 minutes to go until she left, she smiled at her reflection in the mirror, (and it smiled shakily back). For once she was glad she had a normal Muggle mirror - she has a feeling this one would tell her exactly how nervous she looked.

* * *

Alright, I know many people will shout 'OOC!' and spit at me because I have Hermione worrying about her clothes, but you think of strange things when you're in love. And I thought it seemed just like her to try to take control of something as crazy as love, by planning everything. Naturally it won't work. Just hang around. R&R please! Thanks again to those who have! 


	3. Chapter 3 Getting There

She paced nervously back and forth in front of her lit fire, blazing merrily. It had been specially connected to the Floo Network over the summer by Arthur Weasley, calling in a favor from his friend in the department (as he was more prone to do, now that he had been promoted to head of department upon Fudge's dismissal).

She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't notice when Mrs. Weasley's head appeared in the blaze, until she coughed loudly.

"Oh!" She jumped. "Sorry, Mrs. Weasley, I was, um, thinking."

"Yes, I could see that, dear." Molly smiled cheerily and knowingly, and Hermione had the unpleasant sensation that she knew exactly what about. "Are you ready to go?" She was interrupted before she could pursue that train of thought much further - thankfully.

"Yes, of course." Hermione passed her school trunk and collapsed cauldron through, and Mrs. Weasley held them as she suddenly vanished from the fire.

She took a deep breath, grabbed a handful of Floo Powder from the mantle, and waved a quick goodbye to her Mum, who had come out of the kitchen to see her leave, before flinging the powder in the flames, and stepping into the roaring green column. "The Burrow!" She enunciated clearly.

On the other side, she was greeted with a rush of color and sound that couldn't be more unlike her quiet, ordinary house.

"Hermione!" Ron and Harry rushed up instantly to hug her bombarding her with questions, the most excitedly asked being Ron's "What've you got to tell me?!" She tried not to look at him - she was nervous enough as it was.

She blushed and pretended she hadn't heard, instead turning to the rest of the family and greeting them politely and graciously (but not without catching a smiling Harry's eye).

Ginny was nearly bursting with news and stories of their Hogwarts classmates, many of whom Hermione didn't bother to keep in touch with. Ginny however, was very social and always had someone writing with the latest gossip.

By the time Hermione had escaped from the landslide of words, she found herself face to face with Percy Weasel- er, Weasley. Despite Percy's full apology to the family, Hermione, the twins, Ron, and Ginny were very unwilling to completely forgive him. Harry, however, seemed to have forgotten Percy's belief of the slander the Daily Prophet had printed of him, and was simply not interested in holding grudges after the "bigger things" that had happened in the past year, and was even talking to Percy regularly now.

"Hello Percy." She said politely, about to extend a hand to shake when Percy gave her a hug instead. Ron gaped a little, but she managed to stay composed. "Nice to see you." She smiled a little more sincerely at him now. He seemed to be trying, at least.

"Likewise, Hermione. Have you read any good books lately?" He tried to imitate his usual pompous behavior, but was smiling a little, and she was reminded pleasantly of Percy before he turned into World's Biggest Git.

"Oh _no_ you don't! You get her started on books and she'll never stop. Go do something boring! She's got news to share!" Ron pulled her away from Percy.

"Not now, Ron. Honestly, it's almost tea-time, and I'm covered in soot." She pulled her arm away, and in doing so caught a glimpse of Ron's irritated expression. She laughed inwardly.

"Have you no patience?" She asked, pseudo-serious. He pouted and she tried not to melt. "Really, though, I need to clean myself up. And I'm not telling you until Christmas Eve."

Harry grinned from over Ron's shoulder and mouthed something that looked suspiciously like "_romantic_." She shot him a quick glare.

"Aww, damn, Hermione, make a guy wait, won't you?" Ron sighed, exasperated, and Harry sniggered silently and she glared some more.

"Get used to disappointment,_ Ronald_." She smiled sarcastically and turned to leave.

"It's just when you disappoint me that I **care**, _Hermione_." Ron muttered under his breath, obviously thinking she couldn't hear. She wavered so briefly that no one else would even notice, but inside her mind was shut down and she couldn't breath. She made herself keep walking even so, although she suddenly found she didn't know where to go. Harry appeared beside her and steered her to the stairs.

"Up and to the left, Ms. Know-it-all." He whispered in her ear, pushing her upwards. She nodded imperceptibly and went up.

"Ah hah, Hermione. Come to share some news?" She had just recovered her ability to think when Fred and George appeared in the hallway with a wickedly smiling Ginny. _Oh, damn._


End file.
